Panic Disorder

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT PANIC DISORDER - PAGE 4

Kids who were bullied and acted as bullies themselves were at higher risk for depression, anxiety and panic disorder years down the line, according to a new study. Researchers have known that bullying can take a psychological toll on both bullies and victims, but it's been unclear just how long those effects would last. In the new study, depression and anxiety tied to bullying at school persisted at least through people's mid-20s. Worst off were those who had been both bullies and targets of bullying, according to findings published in JAMA Psychiatry.

The morning session of the congressional conference on women's mental health issues began as a somber affair. The wife of a Cabinet secretary told of overcoming an eating disorder. A newspaper reporter gave an account of her struggle with depression. Doctors spoke about advances in recognition and treatment. Despite the serious tone of the event, the audience vibrated with giddy anticipation. A bevy of congresswomen sat expectantly in the front row, even though it was a busy week on Capitol Hill and there was plenty else for them to do. Every 10 minutes or so, GOP Sen. Pete Domenici would pop his head through doors in the back of the room, as if looking for someone.

Dear Abby: You were far too hard on the boyfriend of "Frustrated in Texas," who avoided social events and wanted to elope with her instead of having a big wedding. You seemed to hold him responsible for his anxiety, as if he were doing it on purpose. From his description, he sounds like someone who suffers from social phobia. This is a very treatable psychiatric illness that can incapacitate people. As with panic disorder, it responds well to both medication and behavioral modification.

When Grandpa Walt died in Denison, Iowa, family members from across the country rushed to get to the funeral within two days. Everyone, that is, except for Cousin Marianne from Georgia. Marianne had a fear of flying, so she couldn't book a flight there. Worse, she had a fear of crossing bridges. How was she to get to Iowa without crossing the Mississippi? The weary traveler trudged into town six days late, after zigzagging along little-used highways and one boat ride across the water.

By Tom Minogue. Tom Minogue is on the medical faculty of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, an author, a member of the American Psychiatric Association and a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice | May 2, 2004

You might not think of psychiatrists as national policy-makers. That would be a big mistake. We're just a lot calmer than politicians. The American Psychiatric Association, along with the rest of the vast mental health community, affects our collective destiny as much as, if not more than, the political parties. The results are sometimes spectacularly positive--for example, mentally ill Americans can now live without much of the terrible stigma that plagued earlier generations.

Millions of adults suffer from an unusual disorder-sudden unexplained panic. The anxiety can be so severe that sufferers begin to avoid ordinary places or situations that might trigger an attack. Doctors at the University of Illinois at Chicago are seeking sufferers to test a new oral medication, Deracyn-SR, as a possible treatment for panic disorder. To schedule a free evaluation or for more information about participating in the panic disorder project, call Joanne Despotes at 312-996-3194.

People who suffer from panic disorder are being sought by researchers at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center to participate in two national studies of new drug treatments. Study participants must be between 18 and 65. Men and women are eligible, but women must not be pregnant or planning pregnancy. Those interested should call the Treatment Research Unit's 24-hour answering service at 942-3532 and leave their name and phone number.

People suffering from panic disorder with or without agoraphobia are needed for a research project that is comparing tested and high effective treatments supervised by researchers from Northwestern University and Evanston Hospital. One group is being treated with cognitive-behavior therapy, another with drug therapy, and another with a combination. For information, call the clinic at 708-570-2720.

Psychiatrists at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center are seeking men and women with panic disorder for an eight-week double-bind medication treatment. Panic disorder is characterized by overwhelming and sudden feelings of anxiety anywhere. The Rush researchers are testing the effectiveness of Moclobemide, an anti-depressant, for treating panic disorder. Rush is the only site in Chicago conducting the study among 10 medical centers in the country. For additional information, contact the Rush Institute for Mental Well-Being at 312-942-3532.

People suffering from panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia, are needed for a research project that will compare tested and highly effective treatments in a project supervised by researchers from Northwestern University and Evanston Hospital. One group of patients will be treated with cognitive-behavior therapy, another with drug therapy, and another with a combination of the two. For additional information, call the Panic Clinic at 708-570-2720.